Conduit fitting



Aug. 11, 1925.. 1,549,383

J. E. ROACH CONDUIT FITTING Filed March 30, 1923 JZ/m Z Hawk Patented Aug. 11, 19. 25.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. ROAO'H, 0'15 ST. PAUQKVLINNEEGTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JQHN E. GOODWILLIE, 033 ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

CONDUI'I' FITTING.

Application filed March 30, 1923.

To all 'lU/L-O'Llb z't 112.4 31 wnoern:

lie it known that l, Jot-1N E. llosoii, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of li linnesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Conduit Fittings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to T fittings for use in connection with conduits adapted to carry electrical conductors, and more particularly to electric fittings for use in connection with glass show cases. One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved lamp supporting fitting of a formation which adapts it for use in the potion of a glass show case or counter to afford a clearer View of the goods on display, and be more or less concealed from view, and which is constructed to carry incandescentlight bulbs extending in spaced relation lengthwise longitudinally of the counter in close proximity to the glass top and side plates of the counter.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a T-shaped body having a removable section, the removal of which will expose the entire interior of the body to render the same accessible for making wire connections between the electric conductors in the body and the lamp wires entering through the branch of the T, novel features of construction being employed whereby the making of such connections is greatly facilitated and their eiliciency increased, and whereby a compact arrangement of the parts is effected.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class described adapted to be connected into the line of a conduit and adapted to hold a lamp socket directed longitudinally of the conduit, the body of the fitting being of a configuration to extend in a conforming curve longitudinally in overlapping relation to the lamp socket, for the purpose of securing an abruptly outwandly flaring internal area in the fitting to enable the reception of the slack wire of the coiniections between the lamp and the conductors in the conduit. it is desirable in the art of illuminating show cases to secure the maximum angle of vision with respect to the observer so that a greater part of the display may be viewed, and to accon1- plish this it is essential that the conduit be small in size and that it be hung without Serial No. 628,775.

waste of space in the inner angle formed by the top and front glass plates of the counter, and that the branch of the T to accommodate the use of a reflector for each lamp, be of minimum length consistent with practical manufacture. To accomplish this I have formed the fitting with an indented side. which is of special form at the port-ion ex tending in longitudinal alinement with the conduit, to accommodate wrapped connections with the conductors, and which is depressed or indented in that portion adapted to accommodate the connecting wires between the lamp and the wrapped connections, the fitting being constructed to enable the lamp wires to be spread laterally, thus enabling the construction of a fitting which is appreciably smaller than an ordinary T and thereby enabling a slight increase of the angle of vision through the front and top plates of the counter, in that the outer portion of the branch of the T is extremely narrow, and of a length to bring the back of the reflector tangentially close to the top and front plates.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out as this specification progresses, the invention consisting in the construction, combination, and arrangemet of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure l, is a perspective view of a plurality of my improved conduit fittings shown connected longitudinally into a conduit, one lamp being shown.

Figure 2, is a fragmentary perspective view showing one fitting with the cover removed, and a second fittin partly in section.

Figure 3, is a perspective view of the cover.

Figure l, is a transverse sectional iew of the front upper corner of a glass show case, showing one form of mounting the invention; and

Figure 5, is a fragmentary top view of the fitting shown partly in section on line of Figure 2.

In the drawings, 1 and E3 (:lesignate the glass top and front plate of a show case. The top plate ordinarily is spaced from the top edge of the front plate by the insertion of a strip of felt, not shown, thus forming a space 3 between the two plates. Eacnding through this space and bent downwardlv pipe sockets 8, which sockets form the ends body portion.

or the main body portion and are adapted to have threaded engagement respectively with outwardly extending conduit sections (5 to form a continuous conduit with the main The sockets are preferably of equal uniform external diameter and integrally joined together by a partly cylindrical relatively thin wall 9, which is flush with the peripheries of the sockets and 'hich extends around the lower halt' thereof (with reference to Figure 2), and upwardly on either side ot the longitudinal axis 9 beyond the same to a level which is situate approximately midway between said axis and the periphery of the conduits (3.

Removably titling between the inner ends of the pi e sockets and adapted to be sealed on the top edge of the wall 9, is a semicylindrical relatively thin shell-like cover portion 10, constructed to be flush with the exterior surface of the sockets so that the general shape oi? the main body portion will resemble a cylinder having a smooth external surface. Extending from the side of the main body portion is an extension or branch member 10. This branch member comprises a flat wall 10 forming the side of the titting and which is integral with the wall Sand extends outwardly to and beyond the longitudinal axis 11l1 of a screw threaded opening 11, said axis extending in parallelism with the axis 9' ol the main body .mem her 7. From the axis 11 the wall ll) is curved spacedly around the opening 11 to assume the vertical position and extends vertically and terminates in an upper edge 12. The opening 11 perforates a vertical relatively thick wall 13, which latter is 111- tegral with'the wall 10" and is flush with the top edge 12 thereof. Opposite the wall 13 and parallel therewith is an inwardly curved wall l t, extending inwardly toward the main body portion to a point beyond the axis 11. On the inner side of the pipe sockets the wall 9 is divided into two extensions 97 and 9', said extensions being oppositely disposed and converging outwardly preferably in curves, and merging respectively into the walls 13 and 14. The walls 13 and 14 extend to the level of the edge 122 of the walls 10", said level being disposed in a plane represented by the line (Fig-- ure 4), it here being shown parallel to a plane intersecting the axis 9 of the main body portion, and to a plane represented by the dotted line 15, in which plane is disposed the axis 11. The walls 13 and 1d are each further formed, respectively, with a shoulder 13 and 14', said shoulders extending between the planes represented by the lines 29 and 15, and each being formed with an upwardly and outwardly directed curve, preferably concentric with the axis 1111 and tangent with the tops o'lf said walls. Thus, the tops of the walls 9 and its extensions 9 and 9 are disposed in a plane which intersects the axis of the opening 11.

The walls 13, 10", and let, collectively, il orin a relatively deep open top chamber 16, the extent of the upper portion of which is limited by the shoulders 13 and 14:, but the lower portion of which is in open communication with the area en'ibraced by the walls 9, 5", and 9 and the inner ends of the pipe sockets 8. A. threaded opening ll in a lug carried by the wall 9 is adapted to receive a screw 18. Integral with the cover portion ll) and extending to the shoulders l3 and 1.-1-is a tlat cover section 19, having an aperture 19 which is located to register with the threaded opening 17. The edges of the cover section are shaped to match the curvature ol the wall extensions 5) and 9 to he tiush with the outsidcs thereof.

integral with the cover section 15) and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, is a lip shaped cover plate 20, said plate being narrower at its base than the cover section 19 to form shoulders 20 at the juncture of the plate and cover section. The plate is formed to lit slidably between the walls 10', 13, and let, and be flush with the top edges of the latter and with the shoulders 13 and 14%., as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 4-, whereby the closure 'lorined collectively by the parts 10, 19, and 20 is cll'ectively prevented from bodily shifting laterally at the outer extremity of the branch member 10 (which extremity may be termed ahollow lamp supporting head), while the pipe sockets 8 prevent lateral shifting o'l, the curved portion'lO oi the closure, the latter being firmly held seated on the walls 9 and its extensions 9 and 9 by the retaining screw 18.

Threaded in the opening is an incandescant'larnp 21. The lamp is formed with a shoulder 22 adapted to'engage the wall 13 (which latter extends at right angles to the main body portion 7), and with a threaded nipple 2?) adapted tobe screwed into the opening 11" to hold the lamp firmly in longitudinal alinen'ient with the conduit. A suitable reflector 24 is carried by the lamp, the branch 10' being of suitable length fill to keep the reflector well up in the inner angle formed by the glass plates 1 and 2, as shown. The lamp has conducting wires 25 and 526 which have operative connection with the lamp filament, not shown, said conductors being here shown (Figure 2) spliced respectively to the main conductors 2"? and 28. In making these splice joints in the assembling oil conduits for glass show case use, the lamp must first be screwed into the opening 11, for the reason that it is directly electrically connected to the main conductors by its wires 25 and 26, as distinguished from ordinary lamps which are removably held in ordinary sockets. The lamp 21 cannot be screwed into place after its wires are spliced to the mains, it being apparent that the wires would become seriously twisted. As it is important to keep the parts as small and compact as possible to not obscure the goods on display, and as it is essential to have a liberal amount of slack in the lamp wire to be able to withdraw them amply from the lilting to nani iadatc the rubliicr insulation and friction tape (not shown), which must be wrapped around the splice joints, ordinary i tittings and outlet boxes are unsatislactory. To enable handy manipulation oil the parts in making the joints, 1 have cut away all of one side of the fitting between the pipe sockets and lamp supporting head to a depth which extends an appreciable distance within the body lines or the conduit 6, but short of the center of the latter. This enables the operator to freely pass his lingers under the wires in the wrapping process, and also permits the use of lamp wires of less length than would be the case if the opening in the side of the fitting were on the level of the top 01 the pipe sockets.

By making the lamp supporting head full open at the top, it will be apparentthat the lamp wires may be brought directly vertically out of the hollow of the head and then be bowed inwardly in a sweeping curve to the main conductors, thus permitting the friction tape to be freely passed around the under sides thereof. The wrapped joints are indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, and are contained when the fitting is closed in the main body portion 7, the thin Wall 9 and the thin cover portion 10 affording ample room between the pipe sockets for their reception. hen the joints are completed, the main wires are straightened out to bring the knobs formed by the wrapped joints into the main body portion. The slack lamp wires are new tucked into the shallow area attorded by the cutaway side walls, while the hollow lamp supporting head supplies ample space "tor so curling the wires as to avoid abrupt right angle bends, as they pass into the lamp nipple 23. lVhen the wires are properly tucked in, the cover portion 10 is initially inserted between the pipe sockets and the lip at) is then insert-st between the walls 12,) and l t between which it slid-ably fits, thus crowding ilown into the cavity any protruding portions of the wires. The screw 18 is then applied, where by the closure is firmly held in place. shown in Figure 1, any number oi fittings may be employed, the top sides thereof presenting a smootl appearance. liy placing the lamp socket or opening 1.1 in oit'set relation to the seat oi? the closin'e, the lamp wires are brought practically to the level of the closure seat, thus aliording the adantage of being easier to handle.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described comprising in combination, ith a lamphaving a threaded nipple extending longitudinally thereot; of a T-shaped hollow body, said body including oppositely disposed longitudinally spaced and alined pipe sockets adapted to have threaded engagement 1' es 'iectively with conduits, a branch portion extending outwardly at right angles to the axis o'l said sockets and located between the latter, a screw threaded opening adapted to receive the nipple o'l salt. lamp, extending parallel with said sockets and through 1' it wall of said branch portion and being located adjacent the outer free end thereof. a screw, the shank thereof extending into the side of the T-shaped body and having threaded engagement therewith, and a line of division, dividing the T-shaped body into two separable parts to render the interior of said body accessible, said line of division extending horizontally between said Sockets at a level located. adjacently above the lon itudinal axes of the sockets and to a point adjacent said screw threaded nipple re ceiving opening, then upwardly and outwardly around the latter to the outer e2;- tremity of said branch portion, said line of division intersecting the shank of said screw.

2. In a fitting of the class described, com prising in combination, a pair of spaced longitudinally alined, cylindrical, oppositely disposed, open ended sockets, each adapted to have threaded engagement with a conduit to stand in longitudinal alinement therewith, a hollow head approximately equal in height to the diameter of said sockets and spaced laterally from the latter and being open at the top and inner side and having a screw threaded opening axially in parallelism with said sockets and adapted to receive a lamp, a relatively thin wall structure integrally connecting said sockets and head in a manner to form a receptacle, the interior otwhich is in open communication with the interior of said sockets and head, the bottom of said receptacle being in a plane which is flush with the periphery of said sockets and the bottom of said head, and the depth whereof is greater than the radius of said soc ets, but appreciably less than the diameter thereof, and readily removable closure means for closing and holding closed said receptacle and top of said head and the up per portion of the side thereof.

3. In a fitting of the class described, comprising in combination, a pair of spaced longitudinally alined, cylindrical, oppositely disposed, open ended sockets, each adapted to have threaded engagement with a conduit to be in longitudinal alinenient therewith a hollow iead approz'zimately equal in height to the diameter of said sockets and spaced laterally from the latter and being open at the top and inner side and having a screw threaded opening axially in parallelism with said sockets and adapted to receive a lamp, a relatively thin wall structure, including a threaded bolt hole, and integrally connecting said sockets and head in a manner to form a receptacle, the bottom of said receptacle being); in a plane which is [lush with the periphery of said sockets and the bottom. of said head, and the depth whereof is greater than the radius or said sockets but appreciably less than the diameter thereof, and a closure for said head and receptacle adapted to seat on the upper edge of the latter consisting of a thin shell-like cover portion of a curvature to match the periphery of said sockets and 01 a length to fit removably between the latter, a fiat cover section integral. with said cover portion and extending to said head and including a bolt hole in register with the recited threaded bolt hole, and a cover plate integral with said cover section, termed and constructed to close the lie and top oil said head, and be flush with the top edge thereof.

a. In a device of the class described, a a cup-shaped T, coaxial pipe sockets at opposite ends of the head portion thereof, a lamp socket in the stem portion of said T, the axis of said socket being substantially parallel to the axes of the pipe sockets and in laterally spaced relation therefrom, and a removable closure for the cup-shaped T, said closure comprising a planiiform central portion and an o'llset end portion.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN E. ROACH. 

